Start10 search does not include applications.

When I search using Start10 it will show files on my PC and some shortcuts, but the majority of applications and shortcuts are not shown. I am not blocking any services nor have I turned off background apps. Has anyone else had this happen recently?

27,069 views 35 replies
Reply #3 Top

I am experiencing exactly this issue as well. It began with the Windows 10 1803 update.

Reply #4 Top

Hello,

I have forwarded your report to the Stardock support team for their review and recommendations.

Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates.

We really do appreciate your feedback, thanks.

 

AzDude
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #5 Top

Hello,

Would you Please do the PURGE : https://forums.stardock.com/486022/start10-support-faq#reinstalling

Reboot and ReInstall the latest version 

Also check this after reinstall https://forums.stardock.com/486022/start10-support-faq#notsearching

and report back here , Thanks

 

 

AzDude
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #6 Top

It is still a no-go. I've also tried rebuilding the Windows 10 index and it did not work. I have a second PC that I just installed Windows 10 on and Start10 that does not have this missing applications issue and it has the exact same settings as my main PC. It is a real head scratcher.

Reply #8 Top

That works and it doesn't, AzDude. I enabled the 'Search should include files outside the standard libraries' setting, and I'm now able to find executables for programs, but not the programs themselves.

This is still clearly not functional behavior. I used to be able to search for the names of programs, and the default Windows 10 start menu search still finds programs by their names. I don't know the exe filenames for most of these programs, frankly. Sometimes searching for the name of a program works, as in the example below. I still find the exe. But searching for Snipping Tool brings up no results, so some programs still can't be accessed at all.

https://i.imgur.com/1fCpTf6.png

Reply #10 Top

My secondary PC works fine and it got the newest Windows 10 update and THEN Start10 was installed, so I'm wondering if the update itself didn't totally screw up a setting Start10 was using and we're now unable to fix it because Windows is a pile of garbage as usual.

Reply #12 Top

I tried all of those before I came here. In any case, that article is about the default Windows 10 start menu not working. At least for misticmcl and I, our Windows 10 start menus are fine. It's just the Stardock Start 10 start menu that can't find programs. We're comparing Start 10's results to the Windows 10 start menu here.

Reply #13 Top

Well from what I understand that Start10 do not have its own search engine. It just display whatever result came from Windows 10 itself.

As a side note my Windows 10 ver 1803 Build 17134.48 with  Start10 v1.6. Search work as normal.

Reply #14 Top

Both of us have posted side by side screenshots of our Start 10 search results and default Win10 start menu search results. They're clearly producing different results, for whatever reason.

Reply #15 Top

I am not denying your problem. I am just stating that its work on my system. And if you already tried the purge and reinstall steps suggested by AzDude on Reply #5. Than the next step is to try the clean boot steps to iron out if there is conflicting apps. https://forums.stardock.com/486022/start10-support-faq#cleanboot

Thank you,

Basj,

Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #16 Top

I have the same exact issue..suddenly search doesn't find what win10 search finds..it was working normally in v1.55, i've even tried v1.6 and still no cigar. Did you found a fix?

Reply #17 Top

Quoting St0MR53, reply 16

I have the same exact issue..suddenly search doesn't find what win10 search finds..it was working normally in v1.55, i've even tried v1.6 and still no cigar. Did you found a fix?
End of St0MR53's quote

Have you try the solution given above (reply#5,7 and 15)?

Thank you,

 

Basj,

Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #21 Top

Would you happen to know what the restore did that fixed your issue? The only think I've installed in the last three months is the newest Windows 10 update and I don't believe that is reversible.

Reply #22 Top

Quoting misticmcil, reply 21

Would you happen to know what the restore did that fixed your issue? The only think I've installed in the last three months is the newest Windows 10 update and I don't believe that is reversible.
End of misticmcil's quote

I'm not sure. It's possible that Cortana had been completely corrupted on the old install, because I noticed after the restore that the 'Search' option was gone from settings and had been replaced with a 'Cortana' option. So, it's possible Cortana was corrupt/missing, but that doesn't necessarily explain why the issue only cropped up with the most recent windows update, so I really don't know.

Reply #23 Top

Guys a small update to this that it is important to know that i found out:

1) You need to leave indexing to completely finish in order for the search to work properly

2) There is a registry setting you can change temporarily to speed up indexing - google it

3) If you change SYSTEM LOCALE for non-unicode programs to a different language the INDEXING will be re-build automatically, and it doesn't even remember the old one you had if you change back! That was the cause of my issue appearing in the first place because i was trying to make a japanese old program display correctly!

Reply #24 Top

It is still broken for me and I give up. I do not want Start10 anymore nor will I continue to suggest it to people who want a more traditional, less cluttered start menu. It is ridiculous that I pay for a product that the only support I can receive is someone on on a forum posting links to a how to that have already been looked at. This is an issue with how Start10 handles being installed before the latest Windows 10 update. If you roll back the update, uninstall Start10, update Windows again, then reinstall Start10 it works. If you roll back Windows 10, reinstall Start10, then do NOT update Windows 10 ever again it works. I do not have the time to backup my PC and roll back Windows 10 in hopes that my start menu is usable again. I can still find Microsoft Store apps with Start10. I can still find Windows pre-installed app with Start10. I cannot find ANY application I have installed on my PC and I know with 100% certainty that Cortana is installed, my 4 hard drives have been reindexed, and that there is nothing preventing me from finding applications I install using the default Windows 10 start menu.

This whole situation is just stupid and I'm done with it. Good luck to anyone else who finds themselves with this issue. I'm just glad that the only thing I use Windows 10 for is games and streaming. I don't have to deal with the pile of trash when it comes time to do real work.

 

Reply #25 Top

Quoting misticmcil, reply 24

It is still broken for me and I give up. I do not want Start10 anymore nor will I continue to suggest it to people who want a more traditional, less cluttered start menu. It is ridiculous that I pay for a product that the only support I can receive is someone on on a forum posting links to a how to that have already been looked at. This is an issue with how Start10 handles being installed before the latest Windows 10 update. If you roll back the update, uninstall Start10, update Windows again, then reinstall Start10 it works. If you roll back Windows 10, reinstall Start10, then do NOT update Windows 10 ever again it works. I do not have the time to backup my PC and roll back Windows 10 in hopes that my start menu is usable again. I can still find Microsoft Store apps with Start10. I can still find Windows pre-installed app with Start10. I cannot find ANY application I have installed on my PC and I know with 100% certainty that Cortana is installed, my 4 hard drives have been reindexed, and that there is nothing preventing me from finding applications I install using the default Windows 10 start menu.

This whole situation is just stupid and I'm done with it. Good luck to anyone else who finds themselves with this issue. I'm just glad that the only thing I use Windows 10 for is games and streaming. I don't have to deal with the pile of trash when it comes time to do real work.

 
End of misticmcil's quote

I am sorry you are experiencing issues, but you do unfortunately appear to be alone in this continuing.  Something in the OS update clearly did not go well which unfortunately is a risk with how Microsoft push OS updates to everyone these days as a small percentage will go badly.

If you ran the purge file then nothing remaining from Start10 should have remained, so a new install will be identical to how things would be if you had only just discovered Start10.

If you are not getting search results then something in the OS is stopping Start10 getting them.

I don't know if you have enabled any settings in the OS which stop Start10 even getting access to search as there are some additional privacy options which could break things in theory.